Abstract: The vertical conformance of a steam drive process is improved and steam override reduced by utilizing a solvent push-pull process in the lower portion of the formation adjacent the production well. Steam is injected into the injection well with production of fluids from the production well. The production well contains two flow paths from the surface, the first being in fluid communication with the upper portion of the formation. Production is continued until there is a water breakthrough from the formation via the first flow path in the production well. After production via the production well is terminated, a predetermined amount of solvent is injected into the lower portion of the formation via the second flow path in the production well while continuing to inject steam into the injection well.

Abstract: Continuous film production from a high pressure feed stream is achieved in a system which provides methods and means for maintaining pressurized gas in an extrusion zone wherein the extrudate may be cooled to form a solid polymeric film. The product film is withdrawn from the extrusion zone continuously through a standing liquid column in fluid communication with the extrusion zone. The film is passed downwardly into a liquid leg below the extrusion zone and upwardly through the liquid column, which has an upper exit end elevated above the pressurized zone thereby exerting super-atmospheric pressure. The product is recovered from the liquid sealing medium, advantageously water, at ambient pressure. Hot aqueous solutions of polyacrylonitrile may be extruded at elevated pressure onto a cooled casting drum in a gaseous environment wherein flashing of the hot solvent is prevented.

Abstract: Oil may be recovered from viscous oil-containing formations including tar sand deposits by providing at least one injection well and at least one spaced-apart production well which extend downwardly from the surfaces and which extend to, and generally horizontally through, the bottom of the oil-containing formation with fluid communication of the horizontally extending portions of each well with the oil-containing formation. Solvent is injected into the injection well and fluids including oil are recovered from the production well until the fluid recovered contains an unfavorable amount of solvent, preferably at least 90 percent. After injection of the solvent is terminated, both the injection well and the production well are shut-in and the formation is allowed to undergo a soak period for a predetermined time, preferably for a time of between 2 to 20 days per foot of formation thickness.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an opaque, biaxially oriented polymeric film structure of lustrous satin appearance comprising a thermoplastic core matrix having a strata of voids; said voids being created by the inclusion within the matrix material of spherical void-initiating solid particles which are incompatible with the matrix material. The void space occupied by the particle is substantially less than the volume of the void. The polymer matrix material is extruded in the form of a film and positioned on opposite surfaces of the film are void free, transparent thermoplastic skin layers adhering to said surfaces. The structure has excellent opacity and extremely high gloss measurement and a lustrous satin appearance.

Abstract: A process is described for recovering uranium from a pregnant lixiviant containing uranium values and a certain portion of molybdenum values comprising passing the pregnant lixiviant through an anion-exchange resin to capture the uranium and molybdenum values on the resin, eluting the uranium and molybdenum values from the resin with a salt solution, passing the eluate through a weak acid cationic resin in its hydrogen form to capture the uranium values on the resin and treating and resulting eluate to precipitate uranium therefrom to produce the familiar "yellow-cake.

Abstract: A process for orienting a malleable film comprising pulling the film through at least one pair of multi-directional orientation rollers thereby imparting a random multi-directional orientation to the film.

Abstract: Oil may be recovered from viscous oil-containing formations including tar sand deposits by first establishing a fluid communication path in the lower portion of the formation intermediate at least one injection well and a production well. A hydrocarbon solvent having a density less than oil contained in the formation and a viscosity not greater than 1/100 the viscosity of the oil contained in the formation under formation conditions is injected into the communication path and fluids including oil are recovered from the production well until the fluid recovered contains an unfavorable ratio of oil to solvent. The production well is shut-in and an additional quantity of the hydrocarbon solvent is injected into the fluid communication path, preferably until a total amount of between 0.05 to 0.30 pore volume.

Abstract: An arrangement for alleviating the problem of differential sticking of a drill string in rotary drilling of a highly deviated borehole by grinding and reducing the size of the cuttings generated by the drilling operation to enable the mud-return flow to better remove the cuttings from the wellbore. At least one full gage, rotating stabilizer-grinder is placed along the drill string at a selected point in the high angle section of the hole. In one embodiment, this stabilizer-grinder is constructed with an inner mandrel which is part of and rotates with the drill string and powers the first part of the grinder, and an outer mandrel which is free to rotate separately from the inner mandrel. The outer mandrel is full gage and fits against the borehole wall such that it remains stationary with respect thereto. The outer mandrel thus forms the second part of the grinder on which cuttings are broken and reduced in size.

Abstract: Oil may be recovered from viscous oil-containing formations including tar sand deposits by first establishing a fluid communication path in the lower portion of the formation intermediate at least one injection well and a production well. At least one additional interior production well in fluid communication with the upper portion of the formation is drilled within the formation defined by the injection well and production well. A hydrocarbon solvent having a density less than oil contained in the formation under formation conditions is injected into the fluid communication path via an injection well and fluids including oil are recovered from the production well until solvent is detected in the fluid recovered.

Abstract: A method for recovering oil from a tilted oil-bearing reservoir having a water zone in fluid communication with and directly below an oil zone wherein a large amount of solvent is injected along the water-oil interface so that a part of the solvent fingers into the oil, lowering its viscosity and making the oil more mobile for production. The remainder of the solvent is driven through the reservoir by a water flood wherein the rate is controlled slow enough that gravity minimizes fingering of the water into the oil layer, sweeping oil toward the production well. Solvent stimulation of the producing well provides additional incremental recovery and encourages the flooded oil toward the production well.

Abstract: An arrangement for drilling deviated wellbores, such as in extended reach drilling, which is particularly designed to reduce the chance of pressure-differential sticking of the drill string by removing the drilling cuttings from the wellbore bottom by reverse circulation of the drilling fluid using a pump powered by the cones of the rotary bit. The drill string is turned by a rotary, and as the drill string turns, the cones turn as they are rolled on the bottom of the hole. A power drive is taken off the bit cones, and powers a pump which pumps mud from the annulus, around and through the bit, and up the drill pipe. In this way, troublesome cuttings are kept out of the annulus, and the cuttings are more effectively removed by pumping up and out the drill pipe.

Abstract: A fail-safe guy line system for marine structures. In the event of cable failure near the water surface, a braking device, such as a cable clamp, can be wedged into a sheave or fairlead to prevent loss of the guy line.

Abstract: Blended polyolefin resins containing linear low density polyethylene copolymers (LLDPE) are disclosed for making seamless-wall handled strap bags from thin tubular monolayer film consisting essentially of a homogeneous binary blend of resins. The improved resin blend system employed in this invention contains a predominant amount of highly-branched low density polyethylene structure. A minor amount of LLDPE constitutes the other resinous component, preferably in the amount of 10 to 40 parts by weight per 100 parts of polyolefin resin. The LLDPE resin may comprise a copolymer of ethylene with at least one alpha-olefin having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, and having a density less than 0.94.

Abstract: A marine compliant riser system is provided for attaching a flexible flowline to a buoyed conduit riser section. The improved system includes a novel yoke assembly for receiving flexible flowline with a means for retaining a terminal portion of the flexible flowline at a substantially vertical catenary departure angle. Pivotally-mounted loading gates or a yoke beam support the flexible flowlines during installation and/or replacement on the yoke. Connection means are mounted on the buoy section for establishing fluid communication between the flexible flowline and conduit at the buoyed riser section.An installation method is disclosed for completing the improved riser system in deepwater. This system is particularly adapted for oil and gas flowlines, service lines, hydraulic control and electrical conduits for connecting a subsea wellhead or production gathering eqiupment to a surface facility.

Abstract: A biaxially oriented polypropylene film is provided which exhibits improved heat-seal strength and good optical clarity. The polypropylene film is characterized by having on at least one surface thereof a continuous coating of a heat-sealable film layer comprising a copolymer of ethylene and methylacrylate. The lamination may be formed by machine direction orientation of an uncoated polypropylene base web followed by extrusion coating with the copolymer material and subsequent transverse direction orientation of the combined layers.

Abstract: A tubular member for a drill string used in the rotary drilling of deviated boreholes, which includes an outer circumferential surface which is contoured and adapted to engage the wall of the borehole so as to produce a longitudinally downward force on the drill bit upon rotation of the drill string. The tubular member may be a drill collar or section of drill pipe, wherein the contoured surface is constituted of a helical thread of a pitch which will impart a longitudinal force towards the drill bit upon rotation of the tubular member.

Abstract: A method for producing non-oriented film that comprises depositing high molecular weight polyolefin powder on a smooth non-adherent substrate, sintering the deposited powder, contacting the sintered powder with rollers at the sintering temperature at a pressure sufficient to effect densification of the polyolefin normal to the surface but insufficient to effect significant longitudinal flow of the polyolefin to form a void-free film, and stripping said film from said substrate.

Abstract: A rotary method and arrangement mitigate differential sticking of a drill string during the drilling of a wellbore and for improving cuttings removal. Tool joints are used for interconnecting joints of drill pipe together into a drill string for use in drilling the wellbore. Nozzles are provided in the tool joints or drill pipe to cause a flow of drilling fluid into the wellbore from the interior of the drill string during the drilling operation to improve removal of the cuttings from the wellbore and mitigate differential sticking of the drill string.